The invention relates to a closing device for a drawer, there being provided on each side of the drawer a pull-out rail secured to the drawer and a support rail secured to a furniture carcass or body, and load-transmitting rollers or the like bearing on or between the rails. A closing device is provided on at least one side of the drawer and includes a guide housing, preferably mounted on the body, and which has a guide groove for a plate-shaped tilt segment or tiltable member which is acted upon by a spring and which is displaceable along the guide groove means of guide pegs extending into the guide groove. When the tiltable member is displaced in a pull-out direction of the drawer, it is coupled to an entrainer peg or pin member, which is preferably on the drawer. The tilt segment is acted on by a restoring-ensuring means, i.e. the spring, and is arranged in the guide housing on a side thereof facing a mounting surface therefor, for example the support rail, and is guided therein in concealed manner but projects laterally therefrom.
Modern drawers are provided with a pull-out guide fitting which on both sides of the drawer comprises a body or carcass-side support rail and a drawer-side pull-out rail and is intended to make the displacement movement of the drawer as smooth as possible. For transmission of load between the drawer-side pull-out rails and the carcass-side support rails, rollers, balls or indeed slides can be provided, depending on the requirements of the drawer regarding quiet running and load.
It has been found that in some cases a closed drawer does not retract completely into the rear end position, that is to say into the body, and a front panel of the drawer projects forwardly of the furniture body. This can result in bumping against the drawer, which in turn can result in personal injury or damage to the drawer.
The fact that the front panel of the drawer protrudes from the furniture front can be the consequence of the drawer having been pushed in carelessly and not fully into the furniture body. However, if the drawer is pushed into the furniture body with too much force, as well, the drawer can roll forwardly again as a result of such excess energy.
British Patent Specification 1 117 071 discloses a device for keeping a drawer closed, in which a tilt part movable between two end positions is provided. The tilt part is acted upon by a helical spring and is urged thereby into a respective end position after overcoming a dead center position. The tilt part is secured to a side wall of the furniture body. The drawer has on the side wall an entrainer peg which is retracted in the end region of the travel of the drawer into a notch in the tilt part. Then, the entrainer peg presses the tilt part beyond the dead center position, whereupon the tilt part itself disengages from the entrainer peg and thus pulls the drawer backwards.
EP-A1-0 391 221 discloses a closing device for a drawer, in which a tilt segment, which is acted upon by a tension spring, is moved linearly in a guide groove in a pull-out direction in order then to tilt into a front locking position. Thus, the drawer is entrained a further distance by the closing device.